


Burn It Down

by rilenite



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rebellion, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, reluctant partnership
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-04-27 03:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14416662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rilenite/pseuds/rilenite
Summary: When the PTO invaded Earth, young Bulma Briefs found herself thrown to the bottom of a barrel full of engineers clawing for life just like her. Unlike most of them however, Bulma pulled herself out of the barrel. She rose through the ranks using her intelligence and some well placed bribes, eventually finding herself in the position of Head Overseer of Engineering at the most prestigious base in the entire empire along with her only friend. Hoping she finally has a home she won't ever have to leave, she attempts to settle down for the long run. That is, until she finds someone who holds the same passion for freedom she once did as a child and finds herself tied up in what could be a revolution.[A canon divergent Vegebul AU in which Earth was integrated into Frieza's empire when Bulma and Goku were still children.][Cross posted on fanfiction.net]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this has been in my drafts for ages but after buying the vegebulzine my inspiration to actually continue my idea for this story. the beautiful art got me motivated to actually begin posting this so here we go.

The compound was nicer than she had expected, though to be fair most things were nicer than what she expected. After spending years in cramped communal living spaces on various stations across the galaxy her standards of nice had dropped significantly- but this station almost reminded her of home, from the outside at least. It looked almost fancy, beautiful. The largest building, the one she assumed she’d be working in, looked like a palace of sorts. It was well decorated, people were walking around like little ants, and most importantly it looked clean. She hadn’t expected any of these things, even though she knew the man responsible for the whole ‘Planet Trade Organization’ lived there. Really it shouldn’t have been such a surprise to her, but after a decade of shitty environments and filthy hallways she’d nearly forgotten what ‘nice’ looked like.

She’d heard stories about the compound. The best of the best lived there, and she couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride that she was now included as one of the best. She’d been working herself nearly to death from the moment she was ‘integrated’ at the age of 15 in order to improve her lott. For the first few months she’d fought hard against her new life, though it wasn’t that she was unused to hard work when it came to engineering. She wasn’t used to being _ forced  _ to work. She wasn’t used to being treated like something other than a prodigal engineer, and when she’d been taken to the first station she was treated like every other weary eyed worker in the compound. They spoke down to her as if she didn’t even know what a wrench was, and granted she didn’t recognize some of the alien technology they used but they didn’t need to speak to her like she were a small child. The thing that finally snapped her out of her loud and defiant refusal to work was seeing a young woman, one who looked almost human and about the same age as her, get her brains blown out for being late to assembly. After that, she swore she’d get the hell out of the shithole of a station, and the motivation gained from that served her well.

The overseers, finally, recognized her talents and promoted her to a slightly less shitty station. This cycle of promotions to slightly less and less hellish stations continued over the decade that lead her to finally being raised up to the top. She would arrive on the station, make friends with any women she could find in her department, they would show her the ropes, and then she would quickly prove herself too useful to be kept on the station. She tried not to get too attached to those she befriended on each ship, she had no plans on staying with them for long, but still it was nice to have people to talk to on each station. She was looking forward to her, hopefully permanent, position at this station. She’d finally get to make real friends and hopefully find some sense of normality on this station.

She couldn’t help but feel amazed looking out her window as they pulled into orbit of the planet the station was on, it looked like there were real cities. There was life on this planet, not just cold featureless buildings she’d grown used to. She’d heard you were given free reign on this planet as long as you continued to perform well, and she couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of going shopping and eating somewhere other than a noisy mess hall.

As expected, shortly before they docked, a voice came over the comm systems stating they were all to be at the departure bay with everything they needed with them in ten minutes. She grabbed her bag that held what little she could really claim was her own and headed out of the dorm. As the door slid open, a bulky figure she recognized fell into her room. She not so gracefully sidestepped out of the way, watching with a slightly surprised but entirely unamused expression.

“Oh geez, I coulda used a little bit of warning before you opened the door Bulma!” The familiar voice said in a teasing manner. Bulma put her hands on her hips, looking down at the boy.

“Were you really trying to sleep while on guard?” she asked, raising one eyebrow. His sheepish grin gave her all the information she needed to know. He pushed himself off of the ground and dusted off his uniform.

“Listen, the halls get real boring after a few hours, and it’s not like people tend to come down this way anyway. ‘Sides, I know you aren’t as stuck up as some of the other big wigs I’ve been guarding over the years,” she rolled her eyes, but didn’t argue. She couldn’t be too upset with him anyway, she expected this kind of behavior from him for almost as long as she’d known him.

“Listen, I know I said I’d be lax with my rules, but I need you to try and keep up appearances, okay? You’re supposed to be the bodyguard of one of the brightest engineers in the PTO, not her best friend. When no one’s around you can goof off but while we’re on duty you’ve gotta try and act like you would with one of those ‘big wigs’,” she explained. She’d explained this to him several times since she’d requested him as a bodyguard to go along with her new status, but he didn’t seem to entirely comprehend the gravity of the situation. She’d heard stories of the cruelty some of the elite men at this station were capable of, and she had no doubt they would try and rip the two apart if they realized she was allowing Goku to work at standards below what would normally be expected of a head overseer’s bodyguard.

He laughed it off like it was no big deal, as usual, and moved to the cot she’d been sleeping in. He grabbed the bag he’d stashed there when he’d arrived that morning, then went back to the door, waiting for her exit. The two walked side by side down the corridor, and Bulma had to whisper to him to act more like a bodyguard and less like her friend. He stood up a little straighter and a more stern look came over his face, Bulma hid the smile she could feel creeping up. Goku wasn’t always the best with words, but actions? He could do. Especially when it came to looking intimidating.

Some nights she still couldn’t believe that he’d grown up into such an intimidating figure. She remembered the first time they met, deep in the belly of the ship that had taken them away from their home. He was just a little twelve year old restrained next to her. When she’d asked why he was restrained he claimed it was because he was so strong, flashing a proud smile at her she’d quickly grow familiar with. Something about his odd behavior allowed her to forget about the fact she’d probably never see her parents again for a moment. She sat there talking to him in hushed tones the whole ride, holding back tears and giving the occasional laugh when he’d said something particularly strange. Most of what he said sounded like the kinds of stories young kids told to anyone who would listen, and hell maybe he even believed them. She assumed they were just the ramblings of a boy trying to hide his fear behind false bravado.

Her initial misgivings about his strength were squashed as soon as they arrived at the first station they were to be based at. One of the men gathering them had grabbed her too roughly and Goku was quick to act. He jumped up and headbutted the man so hard his chest armor cracked. It was almost comical, looking back at it, but in the moment it was an absolute shock. She mistook the crack as the sound of the boys skull, but the yelp of the soldier quickly showed her the truth. In the moment she was both scared and amazed, and even though the two of them were treated even more roughly due to Goku’s outburst, she decided they were going to stick together through this. He was strong, and she had a feeling it would be a good thing to have someone strong on her side. There was also the nagging feeling that the strange boy needed someone with a good head on their shoulders to help him along. They managed to stay mostly safe due to their individual prodigal talents, Goku stunned the men in his strength tests, and Bulma continuously proved her genius. It took some bribing and sweet talk to the right people, but they both managed to land spots at the same stations each time they were promoted.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts as she saw a crowd of people in front of her. All of them holding identical bags to her, waiting to depart from the ship to their individual stations. As she got closer, she could hear a mechanical voice coming over the intercoms announcing which groups they should be in. She half listened to it, waiting to hear anything about head overseers. Eventually the message stopped, then started repeating the information again. A moment passed, and then she heard it.

_ “Initiate Head Overseers, group H4.”  _ She scanned the several electronic signs floating above the groups until her eyes settled on H4, then joined in with the group, Goku following right behind her.

The group was much smaller than many of the others, there were only six others standing in the group, three Head Overseers and a bodyguard for each. It wasn’t much of a surprise her group was so small, most the other groups were made up of soldiers, doctors, and engineers who hadn’t made the cut for Overseer and would be instead working under those who did.  

She was a bit disappointed to find that none of the others in her group were human. The smallest in the group, who looked to be a Meran, was the first to notice her. She flitted her eyes between Goku and her, then up to the large man standing tall behind her who Bulma could only assume was her bodyguard. The fin atop her head raised up, vaguely reminding Bulma of a cockatiel she’d kept as a young child. Her face seemed concerned, but Bulma was quick to try and calm her. She put on the kindest smile she could and walked slowly towards her.

“This is the group for Head Overseers, right?” she asked, not as an actual question, rather has an ice breaker. The Meran nodded quickly, her fin still standing up straight. Bulma didn’t let it deter her. She let out a sigh of relief as though she was relieved to hear she was in the right spot.

“Wonderful, well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Bulma, the new Head Overseer for Engineering,” she stretched out her hand, and the small fishlike woman looked at it in confusion for a moment, before reluctantly taking it. The fin on her head fell back against her scaled head, but it wasn’t entirely flat.

“Oshe, I’m in charge of Medical,” she responded quietly, taking her eyes off Bulma for a second at a time to look at Goku, “And, um, who is this?” she asked in an even quieter voice, tipping her head towards Goku.

“Goku! I’m Bulma’s bodyguard,” Goku responded before Bulma had the chance. His loud voice clearly startled Osha, as her fin flicked up for a moment and her hand pulled away from Bulma’s. Bulma shot a warning look at Goku, though he just looked back at her and shrugged. Bulma tried to pull attention away from Goku, turning to the tall man behind Osha.

He wasn’t of a race Bulma recognized. He was large and looked something like a werewolf mid transformation. His Large yellow eyes watched her intently, and she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by him.

“Uni, he um, doesn’t speak much,” Osha said quietly. Goku outstretched a hand to Uni, with a big grin on his face.

“Nice to meet ya Uni!”

Uni looked at the hand for a moment, then took it and gave a firm shake before withdrawing his hand and returning to crossing his arms.

Another moment of silence passed, then another member of the group stepped towards her. He was birdlike, with a small beak and a heavily feathered face and body. Behind him was a tall woman who appeared to be of the same race. Bulma vaguely recalled meeting another of their race many years before, if she was remembering correctly they were called Averites.

“You said you’re the new Head Overseer for Engineering, yeah?” the man said. Bulma nodded, looking him up and down.

“I’m Paro, new Head Overseer of Ship Maintenance. I imagine we’ll be seeing a lot of each other given overlap in our duties, I look forward to seeing what kinds of improvements your men will make for our ships,” he held out a deceivingly humanlike hand covered in skin similar to a bird's foot. She gladly took it, happy to know she’d be working with someone who appeared to be rather kind.

“This is Cani, she looks tough but she’s a big softy in truth,” Paro said in a mock whisper. Cani rolled her eyes and raised her hand to her face, picking a stray feather from the side of her head.

“I can introduce myself you know,” she said in a slightly annoyed tone. She nonetheless held out her hand to Bulma and, in a more pleasant tone, introduced herself again “Cani, bodyguard for Head Overseer Paro. It’s a pleasure.” Despite her beak being unable to upturn in a smile, her eyes seemed to convey her pleasant attitude.

“Well don’t leave me out of this meet and greet,” a small humanoid with pastel green skin said. She looked almost entirely human were it not for her odd coloring. “Vitam, Head Overseer of Planetary Research,” she held out her hand without being prompted, and Bulma took it. Her grip was surprisingly strong. 

“I’ve actually heard a bit about you Ms. Bulma, rumor has it you’re set to make history as the youngest Head Overseer of Engineering. That true?” she asked. Bulma couldn’t help but beam with pride.

“I don’t want to brag but, I’ve always been the top of my peers when it comes to matters of engineering,” she said, contradicting her first statement immediatly.

“Sounds to me like you do want to brag,” Vitam’s bodyguard spat out in an unamused tone. She was another race she didn’t recognize. She looked somewhat human, but reptilian scales and eyes betrayed her clearly alien heritage. Vitam looked over at her.

“Oh come on now, don’t be rude,” Vitam tossed the words over her shoulder, then turned back to Bulma, “Don’t mind her, she’s just upset she got reassigned to being a bodyguard rather than a foot soldier. No idea why she’s so upset about it though,” she rolled her eyes as she spoke. The words clearly agitated the bodyguard, but she said nothing. Bulma didn’t bother asking for the bodyguards name, she clearly didn’t want to be spoken to. Instead she focused on tall and muscular man who looked entirely human with the exception of a total lack of eyebrows approaching the group. He looked down at the board he was holding, then back up at the group.

“I need proof of identity from all of you please,” he said curtly. Bulma pulled her TransPad from one of the pockets in her suit and opened it up. He took the small pad from her and looked at the information it provided before typing in a code and handing it back to her. He wrote something on his own pad, before moving to the next in their group.

Once he’d looked through all their TransPads, he made another quick note on his board then motioned for the group to follow him.

“I’m taking you to your dorms. You’ll have twenty minutes to settle in before mess begins. I suggest you get there quick, once the food gone, it’s gone, and you’ll be paying out of pocket to eat. There will be a scouter in each of your dorms, you’d do well to keep them on you at all times. They’ll be your way of communicating and keeping schedule. We will notify you with them when mess is done and then you will receive further instruction to your new stations. Any questions?” the man spoke brusquely, and it was obvious he’d given this speech many times before. No one asked any questions, and instead followed him quietly out of the ship and into the sprawling dock.

Bulma was absolutely amazed at the sheer size of the place. Even back home when she was a child she’d never seen a building so huge and advanced, it was honestly dizzying looking up at the ships hovering over the decks awaiting their turn to dock. Goku had to give her a gentle nudge to pull her back to reality and keep her moving with the group. The man led them to a terminal, and after waiting for a moment, they entered.

She’d been on some terminals similar to the one she was in, but this one was oddly beautiful. It was obviously well maintained rather than left to rot like the ones she’d seen before her promotion. What she saw out the windows of the terminal was even more stunning however. Once the terminal left the docks, she was greeted with the tallest buildings she’d seen in over a decade. There were shining lights, and people, restaurants, shopping ports, it was all almost too much.

It reminded her of home.

She was started by Goku’s hand on her shoulder.

“Everything alright Bulma?” he asked, a look of concern on his face. She pulled her eyes away from the window and looked up at her bodyguard.

“Yeah it’s just… I know you never got to see the parts of Earth I did, but those cities I told you about? This it what they looked like,” she looked back out the window. In the reflection of the glass, she could see Goku squinting at the buildings.

“Yeah? Huh, no wonder Grandpa never took me there. Seems a little too uppity for me. Definitely seems like your kind of thing though,” he said.

She often forgot the oddity that was his upbringing. He claimed he was found as a baby with a monkey tail by his Grandpa, and was raised in a little cottage in the mountains. He never left, even after he and his Grandpa were attacked and he lost both his tail and the man who raised him, opting to live off of the land. She didn’t believe him for the first few months after she met him, he was just a little kid, he was probably just imaging most of it. But the more she got to know him, the more his story added up. He had a small scared over bump where he claimed his tail once was, and his total ignorance to modern society was something she doubted anyone could fake.

“I wonder if they have mountains here too, you think they’d let me visit them if they do?” he asked, looking away from the window. Bulma kept her eyes fixed on the outside.

“I didn’t see any on our descent, and besides, I’m not sure we’re allowed to leave the city,” she answered in a distracted tone. The sight of the buildings was ripped away from her without warning as the terminal entered a new building. It pulled to a stop, and the man who’d lead them there motioned for them to follow him.

“Don’t worry about getting lost. As long as you have your scouter you’ll have a map to direct you around the building,” the man said, anticipating someone asking how they were to navigate the huge building. As they walked through the halls, Bulma couldn’t help but feel she was in a hospital of some sort. The building was spotless, and there were doors and corridors everywhere she looked. She wasn’t even sure looking at a map would help her navigate the building, especially judging by how big it looked on the outside when she spotted it during their descent.

They passed by what felt like hundreds of creature on the way to the Head Overseer dorms. Most didn’t give their group a second thought, but some watched them with obvious curiosity. Bulma couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the attention, she wouldn’t until she was entirely aware of her surroundings. She didn’t know which of the people in the building were threats and which were potential allies, and chances were she wouldn’t know for a good while. The place was so huge she got the feeling it was going to take a long while for her to get a good grasp of the other workers.

Several corridors later, she arrived at a long block of dorms. The man leading them stopped, then looked to them.

“These are your permanent dorms, each houses two people. There are private sleeping quarters but the rest of the dorm is shared. The locks on your doors have been reset, decide on a passcode, then enter it when you are ready. Do not forget your code, or you will be locked out of your dorm. Make certain you like your code, you will not be able to change it without the help of a maintenance worker, and it will cost you credits. As I said, you’re being allotted twenty minutes before mess. Use it as you please,” he then listed off which dorm they had each been assigned, then he left without another word.

Goku let Bulma pick the passcode to their door, trusting she’d pick something more secure. Once in their dorm, they both took a moment to unpack their few belongings into their individual rooms, Bulma unpacked quickly, then laid on her new bed, grateful to have something nicer than the cot on the transport ship she’d arrived on.

The twenty minutes passed in what seemed like a blink of the eye. Bulma cautiously put the scouter over her ear, she’d been playing with the controls since she’d picked it up, and was amazed by just how much it could do. It would take more than the twenty minutes she was given to figure it out in its entirety, but she’d at least discovered the direction system and the time and date settings.

She was at first surprised to see Goku already at the door waiting to leave, he was normally the less punctual of the two, but then she realized the man hadn’t eaten since the previous cycle. If anything motivated him, it was food. It was practically inhuman how much the man ate, and she was fairly certain his stomach was a black hole.

Goku walked in front of her, trying his hardest not to run down the hall to where the scouter led them. Bulma half wanted to tell him to just go ahead without her, but she also didn’t want to be in the halls alone.

The mess hall was already busy when she arrived, with a line growing by the second. Goku was quick to run to the line, and Bulma did her best to follow him. The servers were efficient, not bothering to look at any of them, instead focusing on plopping the portions of food onto their plates then passing them off. Despite the huge line, it only took minutes for them to get their food.

Her tray in hand, Bulma looked for any of her fellow Head Overseers in the hall. It took a moment, but she eventually settled on Cani, sitting next to Paro at a table with what looked like other Head Overseers. Bulma was quick to join them and introduce herself. The others took turns giving names and status, but said little else, preferring to speak amongst themselves. Bulma picked at her food slowly, taking the occasional bite, but mostly just pushing it around her plate. The nerves of her arrival on a new station always took away her appetite. After a few more bites, she pushed it over to Goku, who’d already long since finished his plate. Paro looked amused, but said nothing. 

After a bit of time, Oshe joined their group, Uni right behind her. Uni sat at the edge of the table, picking at her food in a similar manner Bulma did, glancing around the room. Eventually Oshe’s eyes seemed to settle on a table across the room from them. She leaned in to their group and whispered, “They’re watching us.”

Bulma couldn’t help but feel unsettled by the words, and she looked up to see what Oshe was talking about. Sure enough, there were two men, one hulking and one slimmer with ridiculously long hair. In between them was a smaller man, but he didn’t seem to be interested in their table. The person sitting across from Bulma turned to look at what Osha was talking about as well, then let out a short laugh.

“Looks like you’ve drawn the attention of Frieza’s pet sitters,” she said, turning back to look at them. Bulma raised an eyebrow.

“Excuse me? Who the hell are they?” Bulma leaned in. Even Goku looked up from the food he was nearly finished eating.

“Saiyans, last of ‘em as far as we know. They were almost all wiped out by an asteroid or something like that. Not much of a loss if I’m being honest, they were good fighters sure but personality wise? Entirely insufferable.”

“Just having the three of them around is more than enough to be honest,” the lanky blue humanoid next to the woman speaking said, “Don’t know what they’d want with you all. They usually keep to themselves,” they rolled their eyes.

“Yeah okay sure, but that doesn’t explain what ‘pet sitters’ mean. I didn’t think Frieza was the animal loving type,” Bulma said, causing the woman to bark out another laugh.

“Well, I guess you could say he is. Frieza took a liking to the little monkey in the middle, took him in when their whole planet turned to dust. He’s just some odd little pet to entertain Frieza, but the boy still has the pride of a prince. His little guard dogs are the ones watching you, if I were you I’d avoid them. They’re pests, but they’re resilient as hell, even the weakest one puts up a good fight,” she explained, before returning to eat her food.

“I’m gonna go talk to them,” Goku said, finishing the last of his food. Bulma nearly choked on her water.

“Are you stupid? She  _ just  _ told us not to confront them,” she hissed, leaning into Goku.

“Well I can’t just sit here and let them make you all uncomfortable,” he defended his idea, though he didn’t make another move to get up.

“Yes, you can Goku. I’d rather be uncomfortable then dead,” Bulma snapped, taking another drink of her water, although she still watched out the corner of her eye to make sure Goku didn’t make another move to get up. Bulma tried to turn attention away from the men watching her by starting up a conversation with Paro, but a nagging voice in the back of her head told her this wouldn’t be the last she’d see of the men.

Eventually the men left the hall, and Osha seemed to visibly relax. The rest of lunch went by uneventfully, and soon enough their scouters went off, giving them their first directions to go to their respective stations. Goku went to Bulma’s station, but didn’t go in with her. He wasn’t needed in her office, and he also wasn’t authorized to be there with her. He told her he was just going to go exploring, and she promised to send him a message when her duties at the station were done.

 

\---

 

She hadn’t expected her first day of work to be particularly exciting, but she also hadn’t expected it to be as dreadfully boring as it was either. She sat through several introductions, followed by reading through basic reports that gave her nothing particularly interesting to think about. It was clear whoever was the previous Head Overseer had let the Engineering department fall into stagnation, and she was going to have to pull them out of it whether she liked it or not. She had a sneaking suspicion that the stagnation was a large part of why the previous Head Overseer was removed from the position, and she wasn’t about the let herself meet the same fate.

After flipping through the last of the reports, she finished taking notes on the improvements they could make in each department. She was going to spend the next several days working in each department and motivating them to progress, she could already tell. She put on her scouter, which up ‘til then had been sitting unused on her desk. Back before her promotion she’d always wondered how people were able to wear the damn things all day, and now that she had to wear one she found herself at an even greater loss for an answer. 

She pressed her fingers to the pad set up against her ear and inserted the necessary commands to open up comms with Goku. She waited for a moment as it made a soft series of beeps, then gave a long deep tone signalling he hadn’t accepted her message. She rolled her eyes, some part of her had expected this. Knowing Goku he’d left his scouter somewhere or hadn’t figured out how to answer calls. She pressed in another series of commands to open up the messaging system, then spoke out in a clear voice.

“Goku I’m done for the day. Come and get me or call me back.”

She watched as the words appeared on her scouter one by one, and once she’d ensured they were all correct she sent the message his way. She waited, watching the small clock on her scouter count up the minutes, huffing slightly. Part of her worried Goku had gotten himself in some kind of trouble, but the more sensible part of her knew he could handle himself. She often thought of him as an impulsive and dense person, but he had managed to survive just as long as she had, though granted he did it with less finesse. More time passed, and she finally stood up from her chair. It was clear Goku wasn’t coming for whatever reason, and while she could feel anxiety at the thought of wandering the new base on her own creeping up on her the part of her that wanted desperately to go and lay in an actual bed was far stronger. She just hoped she’d find him on her way back to the dorm.

She pulled up the map on her scouter and set it to send her to her dorm.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma meets a possible friend, while Goku runs into a possible enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow!!! the response to the first chapter was so wonderful, and i hope people enjoy this chapter as much as the first!

“Bulma?”

Bulma was halfway to her dorm when she was stopped in her tracks by a small woman in what appeared to be modified soldier’s armor. Even had the woman not shouted her name, Bulma likely would have been stopped anyway. Not only was she strikingly beautiful, she was entirely human. Bulma found herself staring in silence trying to find any quirk about her that may betray an alien heritage rather than answering to her name, but she found absolutely nothing but a confused stare.

“I’m sorry -  _ Head Overseer _ Bulma. That is y-”

“You’re human.”

Bulma felt her face turn beat red as soon as her own words reached her ears. She’d not only just ignored the woman’s question twice, but she’d blurted out something entirely off topic as well. She couldn’t afford to act like a freak on her first day, stories of strange behaviour always spread fast and stuck around as long as you were stationed on a base. Bulma opened her mouth again to try and cover up her embarrassment.

“I mean, I am. Head Overseer Bulma. And a human too, sorry I was just kind of, well,”

“Flustered? Don’t worry about it, everyone is on their first day,” the woman’s smile was quick to put Bulma more at ease. “I’m Chi Chi, by the way. From the agricultural branch,” Chi Chi extended her hand towards Bulma, which she happily accepted. The ease Bulma felt quickly drained away as she realized the reason this woman had sought her out in the first place likely had to do with Goku’s lack of appearance.

“It’s great to meet another human and all but, you came looking for me for a reason right?” Chi Chi withdrew her hand and nodded.

“Of course, your guard asked me to-”

“Goku asked you to come get me? Seriously? It’s only his first day and he’s already sending other people to do his job,” Bulma felt herself begin to fume as she remembered the reason she was walking down the halls unguarded and alone.

“Is that… common for him?” Chi Chi asked, raising her eyebrows. Bulma huffed and crossed her arms.

“What was it that was so important he couldn’t even answer my calls?”

“Why don’t a show you?”

The offer sounded more ominous than Bulma would have liked, and had she not been thinking more with her anger she probably would have asked more questions before following the stranger, but the combination of her frustration and the fact she was a human made her far more open to the idea.

She didn’t even begin to entertain the idea that the woman could have been lying until she was already entering the training complex. Of course he’d gone to the gym, his scouter was probably at the side of a mat next to his top while he sparred with some more guy who thought he’d have an easy time taking down the new guy.

“He was too busy training?” Bulma guessed, her voice nonplussed.

“Started out that way I think. But your friend got the attention of someone interesting,” as she spoke they turned the corner to see a small crowd circled around one of the sparring mats. The two women managed to push their way forward through the crowd, and Bulma was soon faced with the sight of Goku sparring with the long haired man who’d been staring at them during mess. She immediately felt her anger bubble over. Not only had he left her alone to train, he was fighting with the exact guy she’d told him at lunch to  _ avoid _ . Before she could even think, she was already shouting.

“Are you serious?!”

Both men snapped their focus away from one another, and a moment later Bulma was walking to the mat.

“What the hell Goku? You seriously left me alone so you can have a dick measuring contest with a guy who looked at you funny? What’s gotten _ into _ you?” she expected to see Goku’s look for surprise turn to the same sheepish grin it always did when she was mad at him, but instead he just continued to stare at her. When she got no response she grabbed onto his wrist.

“We’re leaving. You can finish whatever _ this  _ is later,” she tugged on his arm pulling him away from the mat, ignoring the looks of shock her action garnered.

“Hey, lady, who do you think you are!?” a voice shouted behind her. Before Bulma could even turn around and answer, another voice joined in.

“A Head Overseer, don’t you see her uniform? Or are you as blind as you are useless?” As Bulma faced the man Goku had been fighting moments before, she locked eyes with the man who had just spoken. He was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest and eyes looking her over with what she might have guessed was interest were it not for all the signs pointing to him being more annoyed with his companion than intrigued by her.

“Shit who cares! That’s-”

“Raditz!” The shorter of the group snapped, Raditz turned his head to the man and with that the words died in his throat. He straightened before giving a glance over his shoulder towards Goku. Bulma watched as the shorter man pushed away from the way and exited the room, followed shortly after by his two companions who quickly attempted to match the speed at which their prince had left.

Bulma felt a hand touch her shoulder, she looked to see Chi Chi who softly whispered to her.

“You might want to get out of here.” Bulma opened her mouth to ask why but the question was soon answered for her. With the saiyans now gone, the crowd now turned to Goku and Bulma.

“Shit man, you’re either real brave or real stupid. Guess it doesn’t matter which though, I haven’t seen Raditz that winded from a sparring match with some random soldier in a long ass time,” a tall soldier laughed, clamping a hand on Goku’s shoulder. He was quickly mobbed with compliments which he seemed to happily accept. Bulma however wasn’t as thrilled with the attention.

“I’m sorry but we really must be going, Goku come on,” she waved her hand at the frog-like alien that was excitedly asking Goku about where he’d been stationed before this and pulled him away from the crowd. The crowd seemed reluctant to let them leave, but it seemed none of them were willing to fight Bulma on her decision to leave.

Once they were clear from the training complex, Goku began to speak.

“Bulma I’m real sorry about not coming to get you but I really think you should listen to why I wasn’t-” Bulma threw up her hand.

“We’ll talk when we’re in our dorm Goku,” she huffed. Goku let out a sigh, but didn’t press the issue further. Bulma knew better than to try and discuss things in public while she was upset. Who knew who could be just around the corner listening in and ready to spread whatever they heard to the rest of the base. So they walked in silence until the door to their shared dorm was shut behind the two of them.

“We’ve only been here one day and you’ve already forgotten that you aren’t supposed to act like my friend.  _ And _ you went a picked a fight with one of the guys we were just warned to avoid, seriously what possessed you to-” this time it was Bulma’s turn to be cut off.

“I didn’t ‘pick a fight with him’! I was sparring with this girl I met and he just came up and pushed her away saying it was his turn. I wanted to come get you but he was real insistent that we fight. I asked the girl to go find you so you wouldn’t be left alone ‘nd everything worked out anyway, didn’t it?” Goku gestured broadly as he spoke, a nervous habit he did anytime he was in trouble and trying to defend himself.

“What did he even want from you?” Bulma crossed her arms, studying Goku for any sign he was lying or hiding something.

“I don’t know! He just asked me what my name was then he got all angry when I told him,” he shrugged. When Bulma didn’t see any signs of dishonesty on Goku’s face, she let her shoulders relax.

“I guess that guy at mess wasn’t kidding about them being insufferable,” she huffed. Goku laughed nervously.

“He wasn’t kidding about them being tough either. Guy put up a serious fight, it didn’t even feel like sparring by the end.”

Bulma’s eyebrows raised at that. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Goku had met someone that matched him in strength, this  _ was _ where the best of the best were, but still it made her pulse rise a little. Part of why Goku always made her feel so safe was the fact that he so often outclassed the other soldiers in fighting ability on the bases they visited. The realization that, here, he was more of a formality than anything else was chilling. 

If someone who outranked her or had the right amount of money or pull wanted her taken care of quietly any one of the elites could get straight through Goku and to her. 

She shook that thought away. As long as she gave no one a reason to need her gone, she was golden. She knew how this world worked - image was everything, licking the boots of the right person got you everywhere, and keeping your loyalties and opinions aligned with those in power kept you safe. 

A knock on the door startled both Bulma and Goku out of their thoughts, and Bulma quickly whispered to Goku before opening the door - “Just stay away from him okay? I’ve got a bad feeling about him.”

Goku nodded and Bulma slid open the door revealing Chi Chi holding Goku’s scouter and chest plate. It hit Bulma how rude it had been to just run off with Goku the way she did.

“Hey Chi Chi! Looks like you found us okay!” Goku shouted behind her. She held back an eye twitch as she realized Goku must have given this _ complete stranger  _ their dorm number. She’d have to talk to him about that once Chi Chi was gone.

“Yeah, I knew you guys probably wanted some alone time but scouters are pretty important so I rushed here as fast as I could to get it back to you,” she held out Goku’s items to Bulma, who swiftly took them.

“That’s really kind of you, I’m sorry for just leaving like I did,” Bulma apologized, motioning for the woman to enter and passing the scouter and chest plate to Goku. Chi Chi stepped inside and waved her hand in dismissal.

“I was the one who told you you should get out of there. I knew you’d be mobbed when we got there and saw Goku wasn’t knocked out by Raditz. That jerk might be low class compared to the other two but he’s still no joke,” the door slid close behind Chi Chi.

“That little guy’s stronger than him?” Goku balked, though the look was quickly replaced by excitement.

“Oh please don’t give him any ideas” Bulma rolled her eyes.

“You’re right, he seems to be fully capable of finding trouble himself,” Chi Chi laughed behind her hand causing Goku to blush. Once her laughter died she dropped her hand down to her side, a more serious expression crossing her face.

“I… didn’t just come here to return your things unfortunately. I actually did want to talk to you about what happened back there.”

Goku looked at Chi Chi interested, “You know what’s up with that guy?”

“Well, not exactly. I was kind of hoping you had some answers. Raditz usually doesn’t go around picking fights like that, especially not with new people. He mostly just spars with the other saiyans or people who’ve pissed him off. You hadn’t talked to him before or anything had you?”

“They were staring at us during mess,” Bulma answered, “He and the really big guy were anyway. We didn’t talk to them though. You didn’t talk to them after I left, right Goku?”

Goku shook his head and Chi Chi pursed her lips, looking Goku up and down. After a moment of silence Chi Chi spoke up again.

“Maybe he thought you might be saiyan? You look the part.”

“If that’s the case they’d think you were saiyan too, right? Those guys all just looked like people with black hair ‘nd eyes. You’ve got those too,” Goku gestured to her head. Chi Chi ignored he argument in favor of stepping closer to observe Goku.

“No matter how human someone looks there’s always something that sets aliens apart, Goku’s really strong sure but there were plenty of strong people back on earth,” Bulma said, looking to Goku again. 

“Yeah, but the only thing they had different were their tails around their waists, and they didn’t know I had one,” Goku responded, trying to hold still under Chi Chi’s scrutiny. Chi Chi stepped back and quirked an eyebrow.

“You have one?”

“Had. I lost it when I was a kid,” he explained. He saw the look Chi Chi was making and quickly threw up his arms, “But I’m a human! I grew up on earth and stuff. You can’t honestly believe I’m not.”

Bulma widened her eyes, it would explain the oddities about her friend if he really wasn’t human. She’d thought about it a fair few times but Goku’s insistence that he was totally human always put the thought to rest. It hadn’t really mattered if he was actually an alien to her or really anyone else. But… if he was a saiyan, well that might matter to the last three who remained of the race, and if Chi Chi’s assumption was correct it likely did matter. Her mind quickly started speeding up its thought process as she walked herself through the outcome of this being true.

If what she’d been told was to be believed, the saiyans were strong but not well liked. No one associated with them, and they seemed happy to keep it that way. If they attempted to have Goku join them she would be left at the wayside, which was socially beneficial to her but hardly something she wanted. Goku was her best friend, hell her  _ only _ friend, since they left earth. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing him and being left entirely alone. 

But if Goku didn’t want to join up with them, she assumed there would be trouble. They didn’t seem like the type to take no as an answer. Chi Chi had already said that two of them were more powerful than the one Goku had fought, they could kill the two of them as revenge, or at the very least harm them. They might not touch her because of her rank, but bodyguards were replaceable. They might face punishment but there was a possibility they believed it was worth it. No matter what this spelled trouble for her- unless they got the upper hand.

“We should talk to them,” Bulma said abruptly. Both Chi Chi and Goku looked to her in shock.

“Uh, Bulma I thought you were mad at me for talking to them,” Goku’s words were laced with confusion, “I’m not opposed to it, I kinda want to see how strong those other two are. But I didn’t expect you to just… come around to it.”

“Look, if Chi Chi’s right and they do believe you’re a saiyan, all you have to do is prove you aren’t. Like you said, they don’t know you had a tail. We just prove them wrong, and move on. It’s better than letting them come to us under terms we didn’t plan out,” Bulma explained. 

“I guess. If anything I might get a good fight out if it,” Goku shrugged. A typical response,  but not a bad one she supposed. Chi Chi looked as though she was going to speak, but then held herself back. Goku looked to her, “Any idea where they might be?”

“You want to go  _ now _ ?”

“Like Bulma said, we need to get to them before they get to us.”

Chi Chi shook her head, “No. Their dorm is probably with the other soldiers who’re in charge of purging but I can’t say for sure…”

Bulma and Goku tried to learn more about the saiyans from Chi Chi, but most their questions yielded little information of value. Eventually a message on Chi Chi’s scouter notified her her presence was needed in the agricultural complex and she took her leave with a promise to see them again on more casual terms, leaving Bulma and Goku to decide their next move by themselves.

 

\---

 

Bulma had always done her best to avoid soldiers in charge of purges. Goku was almost always enough to make her feel safe, but these men weren’t just average tough guys. Planets not already under Frieza’s reign, and sometimes ones that are under his reign, visited by purging soldiers were wiped of all sentient life within a month maximum by these soldiers. The number of lives taken by those soldiers could be anywhere from hundreds to thousands, and Bulma had no desire to interact with men who could wipe out an entire race without so much as blinking.

So needless to say, wandering the halls where said soldiers lived unsettled her despite Goku’s presence by her side. She knew it wasn’t likely that they’d attack her unprovoked, but that didn’t mean it never happened. Much to her relief, the halls were empty for the most part. Nearly anyone who was out in the halls passed them quickly, likely just wanting to find their dorms as fast as possible. She was happy for that at first, but the longer they walked, Bulma realized this meant there was no one to ask for the saiyans dorm number. She knew the one thing stopping her from just asking one of the soldiers who passed them by was her own fear of actually finding the men they were searching for. At this rate they could just walk for as long as they wanted, maybe even explore other parts of the building.

However, it would seem the world got sick of waiting for them to find a way to the men. One turn around a corner brought them to the long haired man angrily punching in the code to his dorm. The other two were nowhere to be seen, which gave Bulma some relief. The man - Raditz if Bulma remembered correctly - didn’t seem to notice their presence, and she didn’t make a move to make herself known. Goku gladly got his attention for the both of them.

“Hey, d’you have a second? You left so fast I didn’t really get to talk to you,” Goku waved and met the glare of the man with a grin. Raditz stood still for a long while, seemingly holding a conversation in his own head. Goku’s patience with waiting for a response ran out fairly quickly.

“That fight you put up was really good, most fun I’ve had sparring in a while. But uh, I did want to ask you why you wanted to fight in the first place,” Goku continued. Raditz looked at the door then back to Goku before huffing and punching in the door code.

“Get in,” he gestured to his dorm. Goku took a step forward only to be stopped by Bulma’s arm.

“The other two aren’t here right?” she asked with a tinge of worry. This felt wrong, even with Goku there she didn’t want to be alone in this man’s territory let alone with the other two men. Raditz rolled his eyes.

“No, they won’t be here for a little while.”

Goku and Bulma shared a look before following the man into his room, trusting if the man tried anything Goku would be able to end things if they got out of control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i try to answer all comments so if you have anything you want to ask or say i'll be listening : )


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma's swayed while Goku isn't, and they both learn of a place where the world doesn't exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so because four people just stopped showing up to work i've been getting way more hours, hence the lack of updates. thank you all for the kind words, and if you want more info on updates follow me on tumblr at transryou or twitter @rileynite

Raditz’s dorm mirrored her own, with a few minor differences. It was smaller than her own, which she supposed was to be expected considering she outranked them. The thought of three men living here was odd, and she briefly considered asking if all three of them did live here but she decided it was best to just get straight to business.

Goku didn’t have the same sentiment.

“All three of you live here?”

Both Raditz and Bulma gave a pointed look towards Goku who didn’t seem to understand now wasn’t the time for that. Raditz ignored the question, instead moving towards the kitchenette and pulling out a bottle of what Bulma assumed was alcohol and taking a gulp of it straight from the bottle.

“Where are you two from?” Raditz asked, leaning up against the counter. Bulma’s eyebrow twitched in irritation.

“Aren’t we the ones who’re supposed to be asking you the questions?” she snapped, crossing her arms. Raditz didn’t respond, raising his eyebrows in wait for them to answer and turning his attention from Bulma to Goku. His ignorance of her further pissed her off, but she knew that yelling wasn’t going to get them anywhere. She took in a deep breath to steady herself.

“We just transferred from Station B1-ERS in the Northern Quadrant,” she grit out. The man rolled his eyes.

“Not what I’m asking. Where’d they find you two,” he clarified.

“Earth!” Goku said, “We’ve already met some other humans on the base today, we-” a sharp laugh caught the two earthlings off guard.

“Fuck off, no way someone like you’s a human,” Raditz pushed himself away from the counter and moved in closer to Goku. Bulma stepped back cautiously, her arm not leaving Goku’s.

“Just what’s that supposed to mean?” Bulma asked accusingly.

“Yeah, I think I’d know if I was something other than a human,” Goku added on, standing his ground. Raditz stopped right in front of Goku.

“And I think I’d recognize my own family Kakarot. Now drop this bullshit and tell me why you’re running around without a tail and spouting lies about being human,” both Bulma and Goku froze when he said that. This man had to be crazy, Goku never once mentioned a brother or any family outside of his grandfather. And she’d known Goku since they were both children, she met him on a ship taking them both from earth.

“My name’s Goku and I’m not lying! Just cause I look like your brother doesn’t mean I am your brother,” Goku seemed to be getting agitated now, his hands clenching and unclenching.

“Oh, I never saw my brother. He got sent off to some backwater planet before I even had a chance to meet him. My dad however? You’re identical to him. Right down to the stupid hair,” he gestured to the wild spikes on Goku’s head, and Bulma had to hold in a laugh at the thought of this man calling Goku’s hair stupid. “And you know what? That planet was integrated into the empire around eleven years ago. Little place the natives called earth.”

Goku looked to Bulma as though she would have the answers to how to counter his points. Bulma barely noticed, however, instead she was studying Raditz’s face and noting how similar the two looked. The longer she stared the more she felt this man might not just be some grief-stricken man searching for a member of his long dead race. Or if he was, maybe he had a point.

“You see it too, don’t you?” Raditz’s said, startling Bulma as he met her stare, “You know he isn’t just a human,” Bulma looked to Goku trying to find words to say. She couldn’t bring herself to leave Goku’s side in this fight.

“Why do you expect him to remember being from an alien race if you sent him off as a baby? That doesn’t make any sense,” she countered. Goku’s face brightened a little, seemingly convinced Bulma still believed he was human.

“Baby’s were always sent off to weak planets to prove their worth. They naturally knew what they were to do and would find their way home if they didn’t die off, Saiyan children aren’t useless,” Raditz sounded almost offended at the thought she would assume children of his race were helpless. "Why wouldn’t Go-” Bulma stopped for a moment, glancing to Goku again, “Goku would have remembered then but… If there was trauma to the head it would be possible they could forget those natural instincts, wouldn’t it?” Raditz nodded, and Goku’s face grew alarmed as he followed the direction she was leading them in.

“Bulma I’d remember if I was an alien, why are you entertaining this guy!”

“It makes sense though doesn’t it? You said yourself that you were dropped on your head as a baby. You managed to survive on your own in the wilderness when your grandpa died, you’ve always been stronger than any human I’ve met… I can’t just ignore those facts!   
A hurt expression fell upon Goku’s face, and Bulma immediately regretted her outburst.

“Even your friend sees it Kakarot. You’re one of us, and you’re finally where you belong,” Raditz’s eyes lit up at the confirmation that someone else believed him. Goku didn’t budge from his position. “Well, don’t you have anything to say?”

Goku shook his head, “I’ve got nothing to say. Even if I am a saiyan I’m still from Earth and where I belong is wherever my friend is,” he gestured to Bulma. Raditz’s face twisted.

“We’re the last of your race Kakarot, and you don’t even care? I spent years hoping I’d find you again, that you hadn’t died like the rest of our family and all you have to say that?!” Bulma flinched at the man's tone. She knew what it was like to lose your family with no knowledge of if they were alive or not, only the hope that you’d come across them one day. If she found Tights one day she’d be devastated to learn she didn’t consider them family.

“Let’s just think on this, okay?” Bulma spoke up, putting herself between the two men. Raditz’s looked surprised to see her protect Goku.

“Think about what? Kakarot is a saiyan, and with so few of us left he can’t just abandon us like this. Even if you don’t care about me you owe it to your prince to join us!”

“He’s not my prince! And join you in what exactly? I’m not going to drop being Bulma’s guard so I can go and commit genocide on the regular,” Goku shot back. Bulma hadn’t seen him so angry in years. “My answer is no. We’re leaving,” Goku grabbed Bulma by her wrist and pressed the button to open up the door leading to the halls. They were both met with two figures, one of whom breezed passed the two of them.

“You’ve had your fun Raditz, now give it up,” Bulma turned her head to watch as the one she’d been told was the prince walked to one of the two rooms in the dorm. Goku and her stood in shock.

“Vegeta even the girl knows he’s one of us!”

“He clearly has no pride if he’s happy to serve some woman and run about without a damned tail,” the man looked over the two of them, and Bulma saw his scouter light up. “And with that power level he’s not worth my time, he’d be more a liability than anything if we made him join us. Let him and the woman go before she decides to report us to Frieza for some infraction or another and gets our rations cut,” he gestured towards Bulma then continued into what she assumed was his room. If Bulma didn’t know better she would have guessed he was trying to get them both to stay by pissing them off.

“What the hell, you were listening in? You said they weren’t going to be here!” Bulma shouted at Raditz.

“I was talking to them over my scouter when you two came, I just didn’t turn the comms off. If you two tried any bullshit I wanted them to know about it,” Raditz gave a cocky smile as though he’d outsmarted them.

“He wanted us to come save his ass if you proved to be trouble more like,” the large man who still stood by the door said. Raditz’s smile faltered.

“You were curious about them too Nappa, don’t act like you weren’t just because His Highness isn’t,” Raditz huffed out. Nappa punched Raditz’s shoulder and Bulma was struck by just how domestic the whole thing had turned, as though they weren’t standing in a room with a man at least one of them had been searching for nearly his whole life. She felt Goku tug at her arm again, but something made her stand her ground. Maybe it was her own petty anger at being reduced to just ‘some woman’ Goku had to protect by their prince, or maybe it was her own curiosity to learn more about the family Goku didn’t seem to care he’d lost. Either way, she found herself speaking without a thought.

“What if we did join you?”

“Bulma!” Goku hissed, leaning down towards her with a look of concern and confusion. Her words caught the attention of even the prince whose hand froze in front of his door. He scoffed.

“We? Who said anything about both of you?” Bulma felt her face heat, the man's dismissive attitude being one she’d hoped her new title would have warded off.

“I said both of us. We’re a package deal, especially if you don’t want any reports getting to Frieza,” she threatened. There was no real intent behind the threat, she wasn’t even certain what she would even report them for really. But she needed something to bargain with, and the prince had handed it right to her with his earlier comment.

“You think I’m going to trust some stranger with that information?” the prince said.

“Isn’t that what Goku is to all of you? Just because he’s the same race doesn’t mean he’s more trustworthy,” Bulma shot back quickly. The room fell silent and Bulma and the shorter man stared each other down as though daring one another to make the next move. She watched his tail, now unwrapped from his waist, waved behind him aggressively like an aggravated cat’s would. His face was finally betraying something other than an aloof detachment from the situation, but she couldn’t find the right word to describe what she saw.

Finally the man moved in towards her. She heard Goku shift behind her, and from the corner of her eye she saw Raditz tense. Her heart rate rose but she refused to show any signs of backing down or fear. Once he was right in front of her, he spoke.

“Zhalek’s, tomorrow. Be there at the start of the midnight cycle or you can forget all of this. Now leave.” Bulma stared at him, her eyes wide. “Did I stutter? I said out.”

“What even is that?” Goku shouted from behind her.

“You have a scouter, find out your own damn self. Now are we going to have to force you out to I can get some peace?” his arms once again found themselves crossed across his chest. Bulma pulled herself together and turned on her heel to leave, Goku following closely behind her.   
  
\---   
  
Bulma was good at working while distractions surrounded her, but Goku was pushing that ability to its limits. She wasn’t listening much, but she’d been keeping a tally of how many times Goku could question her sanity in one vent fest. His exasperated ranting didn’t end despite the fact she clearly wasn’t taking in any of it and Bulma was certain he knew this and only continued for his own benefit.

“It’s a bar…” she muttered to herself. Goku continued his ranting unperturbed. Not only was it a bar, it was far from the base they were stationed in from the looks of it. This had to either be a joke or a trap, there were plenty of bars near the base, hell there were even bars in the base. Why would he pick one so far out?

He could be trying to get them far away from the eyes of other soldiers so he could off them and not get caught. This was stupid, she was putting herself in danger for nothing. She could just sleep through the next night safely and then it would be done with, no more saiyans. Bulma’s curiosity, however, wouldn’t allow her to do that. What could he gain from killing her? She wasn’t exactly holding Goku back, and even if they thought she was the prince hadn’t seemed interested in Goku anyway.

“A bar? You think they just wanna talk some more?” Goku offered. Bulma raised her eyebrows.

“If they wanted to just talk they’d have just said what they needed to back there. Maybe they just want somewhere private? I mean we’re gonna be monitored everywhere we go, so what’s even the point of trying to avoid that? A deviation from schedule like that could draw attention towards us and them,” Bulma thought out loud, while Goku mostly only half-listened.

“You’re assuming they are up to something though, could just be they like the bar,” Goku shrugged, “Not everything’s a part of some grand scheme Bulma. It’s like that thing you told me about. Arkham’s razor or whatever.”

“Occam’s razor,” she took a break from her mile a minute thinking to correct Goku before falling back into her rapid train of thought trying to find answers as to what they would want to talk about with little to no clues.

“S’what I said! And anyway even if they’re gonna do something fishy that just means a good fight for me! I’ll take ‘em while you get outta there and then I’ll meet back up with you,” Goku’s overconfidence in his abilities didn’t quite sit well with her, but they both knew Bulma was going to drive herself mad if she continued to run in circles trying to connect non-existent dots. Ultimately she just needed to drink some hot tea and calm herself down. She’d need to be awake and ready for their night meeting and keeping herself awake in thought would only hinder that.   
  
\---   
  
Bulma awoke the next morning on the couch in their dorm with a half-empty cup of cold tea in front of her. It was a knock on their dorm door that pulled her from sleep, followed by the sound of Goku running to the door. Bulma stretched out her legs and was suddenly struck with how warm she’d been as her legs stretched past the blanket she assumed Goku had put on her.

“Hey Bulma, I didn’t wanna wake you so I hope you don’t mind that I invited Chi Chi over,” Goku said. Chi Chi gave a wave.

 “Goku sent me a message this morning saying you talked to the saiyans last night?”

Bulma put her head in her hands as she tried to wake herself up. Right, the saiyans. They wanted to meet them at some bar in the middle of nowhere to talk about… something. Probably something they didn’t want others to hear about considering they went so far out of the way for the meeting spot. And… Goku had just told a woman they’d only known for at most a night. Bulma would have felt angry if this hadn’t been such a predictable thing for him to do. It seemed he was quick to trust just about anyone who seemed somewhat friendly, which is sort of why she even ended up becoming to close with him. All that and her half-awake status made it difficult for her muster up even a comment of disapproval.

“Yeah… sorry, could you give me a minute?” Bulma didn’t let them answer before she headed into her bedroom and flipped on the light. She could hear Chi Chi and Goku talking in the shared space of the dorm but she couldn’t make out what they were saying so instead she focused on making herself look somewhat presentable rather than a barely functioning zombie. She gave herself a quick look over in her mirror before returning to the two.

“They said they wanted us to go meet them at some bar, it’s apparently way out there which is kinda weird ‘cause I looked and there are a lot of bars near the base,” Goku was explaining their interaction from last night in little detail to Chi Chi.

“It’s called Zhalek’s, hear of it?” Chi Chi’s eyebrows knit together in thought before she shook her head. She brought her hand up to her scouter and Bulma watched the small lights flicker across the glass panel. Her face soon turned to one of realization.

“If you’re serious about going to this meeting we’re gonna have to find you both some new clothes,” the lights on Chi Chi’s scouter went out as she focused on Bulma and Goku once again.

“What’s wrong with our clothes?” Goku asked before Bulma had the chance to.

“You’re gonna stick out like a sore thumb if you go out there in uniform. It’s a sort of… like a pocket where everyone can just pretend they aren’t who they are for a night. When you’re there you’re just another civilian, untouched by the empire. People go there to have affairs or sell off loot from missions, either way the unspoken rule is what happens there stays there,” Chi Chi explained.

“And… Frieza allows this?” Bulma asked. The whole thing sounded bizarre considering the almost Orwellian security the empire imposed upon most other bases.

“He calls it a gift to his elite, if you’re here you’ve proven your loyalty to the Colds well enough. And no one wants to be the guy who does something so stupid Frieza takes away the privilege for everyone, so I guess that’s a motivation to behave well enough.”

“I guess,” Bulma still looked skeptical, it all sounded too good to be true. But really, there was no way for her to know until she actually went. And so after around a half an hour of discussion, Chi Chi, Goku, and Bulma left the base to search for a less conspicuous set of clothes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'd just like to apologize for how long this chapter took. I'm not really all too happy with it if I'm being honest, but I knew I needed to get this chapter done to move forward with where I wanted to go forward.
> 
> Again, if you want more info on updates follow me on tumblr at transryou or twitter @rileynite!

The day leading up to their meeting passed in waves of nostalgia and nausea for Bulma. 

First, it was the nausea. She tried her best to keep herself focused on the mess of technical documents passed around as she overlooked her departments current projects but every few paragraphs and diagrams she found her brain disconnecting from her eyes and thinking about the meeting she was to attend that night. She was grateful her subordinates weren’t comfortable around her yet, they still looked to her with an heir of caution and fear as they hadn’t sorted out her temperment quite yet, or else they may have realized her inner turmoil. Instead they seemed much more focused on their own relief that she brushed through the documents with only minor comments and few reprimands. Really this preoccupation worked in her favor, she always believed people worked better when their minds weren’t riddled with anxiety over minor errors causing to harsh penalties. It wasn’t a particularly popular sentiment in the PTO, so she always tried her best to put those working under her at ease. Granted, she wasn’t going to be a pushover, but she was hardly one for the tactic of culling subordinates from day one.

Later in the day, the nostalgia overwhelmed her. After retiring from her office for the day, Goku escorted her out of the complex and they were found by Chi Chi who had offered to guide them through the city they now called home.

Bulma was initially taken aback by the dress Chi Chi wore. It resembled a cheongsam, something she remembered seeing women wear back on earth. She hadn’t seen clothing like it since being taken from home.

“Like it?” Chi Chi asked, putting her hands on her hips, “I had it custom made. It wasn’t cheap but there are some incredibly talented seamstresses here if you have the credits and the ability to describe what you want. I had it based on a dress my mother owned.” Bulma did like it, in fact she could hardly find the words to describe how beautiful the woman in front of her was. She was almost embarrassed to be wearing her uniform. Goku seemed to have the same thought.

“Yes!” he blurted, “I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s real pretty!”

Chi Chi looked a little surprised at this announcement, then a blush fell across her face, “A lot of women wore them where I came from, I wanted one when I was a little girl and now that I’m making a fairly comfortable living I figured…” her eyes glanced away from the two of them and she shrugged as she trailed off. Goku looked confused by her sudden shyness, but said nothing and the silence fell across the group.

Bulma clapped her hands, pulling attention to herself and away from the awkward pause.

“I saw photos of those dresses as a little girl! They weren’t really popular in West City so I never saw them in person but they always looked so pretty in pictures. You have to show me who made it for you,” Bulma pulled on Chi Chi’s wrist, “So, where first?”

 

\---

 

“So… have you ever been to this Zhalek’s place?”

Chi Chi’s hands paused on Bulma’s shoulders before she returned to fixing the straps of the dress Bulma was trying on, a look of distaste on her face.

“No, and if I’m being honest I’ve never particularly wanted to go either. The whole place is… I don’t know, fake? It’s nothing but neon lights and drunks looking to hook up for the night, seems like a bit of a foolish waste of time to me,” she shrugged as she spoke, “You said that saiyan wants to meet you there to… what, ‘just talk’?”

Bulma looked at Chi Chi through the mirror, trying to parse what she meant by that.

“Oh come on, he invited you - a total stranger - to a bar in a part of town where people go to have affairs. We may have just met but I know you don’t need me to spell this out for you,” Chi Chi’s cheeks seemed to turn a light shade of pink and her voice got softer as she spoke, as if what she was saying was downright scandalous. 

Bulma barked out a laugh, “Of course I thought of that!”

In that moment, Bulma thanked the gods she was a good liar.

It wasn’t that Chi Chi’s mention of people having affairs had passed her by, but that man had seemed too uptight and disinterested when they spoke the thought hadn’t really crossed her mind. He seemed as though he was all business, and the uncertainty in why he invited her to this meeting had put her mind into overdrive trying to find some kind of intrigue in the mess. On other bases, keeping your head down and staying focused on work was what kept you alive. Petty distractions like sexual attraction had fallen far to the wayside for Bulma, she’d seen too many co-workers get ripped to pieces by falling in love only to find themselves ordered to another station. 

Here though, the option was seemingly one handed to residents on a silver platter, and the saiyan prince must have damn well known that.

If that was the case, not only did Bulma not have anything to worry about, this night might actually be more stress-relieving than stress causing than she thought,

“And… you’re still going?” Chi Chi raised her eyebrow before shrugging, “I guess there’s not any harm in it as long as it stays in that part of town. Frieza’s kept his word that he doesn’t pay mind to what happens there as long as it stays there.”

“What, Frieza has an empire to look over, I can’t imagine he concerns himself with the sex lives of his soldiers,” Bulma tried to laugh but the statement lacked hilarity considering what she had heard of the tyrant.

“Well, it’s not that really it’s just, I’ve heard some things and- oh ignore me. What am I a petty gossip?” Chi Chi breezed passed the topic before Bulma could even ask what she meant, “That dress looks lovely on, you. What do you think?”

Bulma gave a non committal hum, her mind returning to thoughts on what the night would hold, and just what Chi Chi had meant before she’d so quickly changed topics. Even if the night ended up being one of pleasure, Bulma was going to make sure she got some intrigue out of it as well.

 

\---

 

Chi Chi hadn’t been kidding about the drunks and the neon lights. Bulma almost felt bad telling Goku he couldn’t wear the neon orange outfit he’d fallen so in love with while they were shopping to the bar, chances are he’d fit in even more wearing that instead of the more subdued khaki’s Chi Chi had insisted he looked so nice in. The people surrounding her all wore clothes that seemed to glow and change color as the lights faded and morphed from color to color with the pounding music. She found herself mesmerized by the sight, and likely could have found herself pulled into the crowd had it not been for her own discomfort. Once she might have found herself right at home in her high heels and tight dress, but years of comfortable work shoes and a work uniform had changed her perception of ‘comfortable fashion’. She found herself shifting her weight from leg to leg in hopes of relieving some of the pain the shoes were already causing her.

The crowd made it difficult to find anywhere to sit, and even harder to seek out the man she was there to meet, so once she came across the bar she was quick to take a seat, the pain in her feet wearing away at her want to learn why this man wanted to meet with her in the first place. It only took a moment for the bartender to find their way to Bulma and offer her a drink.

“First timers get their first drink on the house,” the towering alien gave a soft smile, tossing a bottle between two of their ten appendages. Bulma raised an eyebrow.

“How do you even know I’m a first timer?” she asked, looking the alien up and down. 

“The fact you even have to ask that is proof enough darling,” they laughed, their smile splitting wide across their face, “So, what do you want? I’m open to give recommendations if you aren’t sure…”

“Surprise me,” Bulma finally said, resting their head on their hand, too stubborn to ask for a list of drinks. She wasn’t about to deny a free drink, and after the anxiety that had been swirling in her as she moved closer and closer to the meeting, she felt she deserved to have a drink. If the saiyan was upset at her buzzed state, well… good. Served him right for being a cryptic asshole. 

The bartender was quick to oblige, and soon Bulma had some swirling blue drink that seemed opalescent when the light hit it right.

“Decided to take some inspiration from those eyes of yours sweetheart,” the bartender winked as they put the drink in front of Bulma, “Names Chalence, call my name if you need me, don’t worry- I’ll be able to hear you,” they gestured to the disks sitting flat against their head, before turning to speak to Goku who denied the free drink. Bulma studied the drink for a time, before finally diving in. It was strong, stronger than any of the alcohol she’d bought over the years, but the burn wasn’t unwelcome. Actually, the quite liked the taste, and it wasn’t long before she was calling Chalence over again, and again, and again- the same blue drink each time until Chalence came over without being called, slipping a note to her instead of another glass.

Her eyes blurred as she stared at the piece of paper, not really reading the words. She nearly tossed the piece of paper, now happy to just drink in peace and forget about the meeting that had drove her to drink in the first place, but Goku nudged her and tilted his head towards a figure on the other side of the circular bar.

The man she’d nearly forgotten she was supposed to meet stood with his hands in his pockets and his head tilted in an unimpressed manor. Bulma briefly considered raising her middle finger and taking another drink, but the more rational part of her mind pulled her back. She thought she saw the man tilt his head to somewhere behind him before walking off into the crowd. 

“I was wondering when his highness would show up,” Bulma muttered, rising from her seat, ignoring the unsteadiness of her heels and ignoring Goku’s hand held out to steady her. The two moved around the bar towards where they’d last seen the man, and soon found themselves in a more subdued part of the bar. The lights were dimmer here, and scattered around where various rounded booths, some of which were inhabited by couples and others groups of what Bulma assumed were soldiers or coworkers. Goku and her found their way to the one that held only one parton, the man they’d been waiting to meet.

“What, no drinks?” Bulma said as she sat at the booth, her eyes sweeping across the empty table. She didn’t miss the irritated twitch of the man’s eyebrow.

“I prefer to be aware of my surroundings actually. I had thought a woman of your standing would share the same sentiment,” Bulma held back a laugh.

“Uh huh, sure. You really know how to lay on the charm, don’t you?” as the words left her mouth Bulma could already feel her sober regret building up, but drunk Bulma hardly cared for that. Drunk Bulma instead relished in the surprised look she’d pulled from Vegeta.

“How is it this fool is acting more responsibly than you are right now,” Vegeta leaned in over the table, hissing the words out, “I took a risk inviting you here and this is how you’re going to act?” Now that pulled through the sober Bulma, despite drunk Bulma still having her hands on the wheel.

“Risk? This place is a free for all, isn’t it? Everyone’s too busy with their tongues down each other's throats to notice someone else’s date, are you really so scared someone will see you act like something other than a stoic tough guy?” that drew an even more shocked look from the man.

“Date? Oh no you- you disgusting vulgar woman, is that why you’re all dressed up like that?” his face turned almost comically red and were it not for their shared realization of the misunderstanding Bulma might have laughed.

“This isn’t-” Bulma’s own eyes widened now, “I thought you were…” Bulma stumbled over her own words as her mind began to speed forward again, this time muddled by the effects of alcohol. Risk, he said he was taking a risk here. But, what was done here stayed here, that’s what Chi Chi had said right? All of her thoughts of conspiracy had to have been false, but- what if they weren’t? What if there was something to learn, and she had just lost the chance?

“You wanted a partnership woman, I wasn’t planning on wasting both of our times by dragging you out here to what, spend a night we both know we’d regret in the morning? Now do you actually want to work together or do I need to walk out of this shit hole right now?” Vegeta leaned in, his voice low.

“Work together to do what?” Bulma hissed back leaning in as well. The two stared each other down, neither willing to back off. The silence between them grew more and more tense, until Vegeta finally spoke.

“You must be smart to get into this position, let’s put that to the test. Figure that out by next week, and meet me here at this table at the same time if you want in. If you don’t, then don’t bother trying to contact me. And for both of our sakes don’t let that bartender run your bill up like that again,” with that, he stood from the table and moved into the crowd once again, leaving behind a bewildered Bulma and an equally confused Goku.

“Figure… what out exactly?” Goku asked after a long period of silence.

Bulma felt a weird giddiness fill her stomach. Maybe it was just the alcohol, but it felt as though a part of her she had long since doused when she was still a teenager was rekindling, ready to seek out answers.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for sticking through to the end of the first chapter! i'd love to hear your thoughts on the story if you have any, but just a kudos would be fab too! hope you're having a good day!


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